1. Field of the Invention
Present invention relates to inflatable tent structures, generally constructed of flexible sheet material suitable for camping and other temporary type structures.
2. Description of the prior art
There has for some time been an increasing interest in outdoor living and particularly in temporary structures, such as tents for use in camping outdoors. Tents are typically constructed of waterproofed cloth, typically fibrous reinforced plastic film, to form an enclosure held up by a variety of posts and support configurations, both inside and outside of the enclosure. Problems associated with these posts and support members are well known to those persons camping out. A great deal of failures occur due to breakage, deterioration and misuse, causing substantial delay in setting up camp, or even complete failure of the device, at a particularly inappropriate time. To avoid these problems, possible solutions have included trailers which include tent like structures, which raise from the bed. The same mechanical difficulties ultimately prevail in this type of structure as with the standard tent structures.
A number of inflatable structures have been provided utilizing an air blower which creates continuous air pressure within the structure with controlled escape of air provided somewhere within the structure. Typical of these structures are described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,992 to J. D. Stachiw, U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,363 to R. D. Candle and U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,369 to D. B. Riordan. Also utilizing air pressure as well as separate inflatable compartments is the isolation module described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,749 to F. J. Busco. An additional inflatable enclosure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,333 to J. G. Amarantos utilizing an endless hollow header anchored to the floor or the ground.
None of the prior art described above fills the needs of the outdoor camper and does not satisfy the objects of this invention listed hereinbelow.